


Dear Blair...

by Bluewolf458



Category: The Sentinel
Genre: Gen, Sentinel Thursday
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-09-22
Updated: 2017-09-22
Packaged: 2019-01-04 02:14:17
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,277
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12159525
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Bluewolf458/pseuds/Bluewolf458
Summary: Blair gets a letter... from his father





	Dear Blair...

**Author's Note:**

> Written for the Sentinel Thursday prompt 'divorce'. 
> 
> The warning should be for 'canon character' rather than major. This is not a happy story.

Dear Blair...

by Bluewolf

Jim was in a more than cheerful mood as he left the bullpen at the end of his shift and made his way to the garage. Friday afternoon, and he and Blair were planning on heading off as soon as they'd eaten for a two-day break. They had no particular activities planned; just a relaxing break.

The Volvo was parked in front of 852 Prospect - with luck, Blair - called on by a fellow TA he owed several favors to teach his afternoon class - would have dinner started.

Without waiting for the elevator, Jim ran up the stairs, but as he slid his key into the lock of No. 307 he became suddenly aware that all was not well inside the loft.

But there was only one heartbeat, so there wasn't anyone in there with Blair, threatening him...

What was bothering Blair so much?

He went in quickly, to find Blair sitting in the armchair, clutching a sheet of paper to his chest, and with a look of absolute misery on his face.

Jim moved over to join his friend. "Blair? What's wrong?"

Blair raised his head to look at Jim. He took a deep breath, and held out the paper. Jim took it.

_Dear Blair,_

_There isn't a good way to say this... any of this. So I'll just be blunt._

_Your mother is dead. She was involved in an accident - a drunk driver who swerved onto the sidewalk and hit her. She never regained consciousness. That was a week ago. I'm sorry._

_She and I were planning to visit you next month. You never met me, but Naomi and I have known each other for thirty-four years. Thirty-three years ago, we married; we were very happy, and when Naomi realized she was pregnant, we were ecstatic. But I was stupid. Weak. Although I truly loved Naomi, there was a woman who worked beside me who wanted me, seduced me, and one evening - flattered - I slept with her. It was just the once, but..._

_Someone told Naomi, and she reacted badly; even though I promised I'd never do it again, she demanded a divorce._

_I know she told you she didn't know who your father was, and let you think she was unmarried when you were born. Technically, of course, that was correct; we were divorced by then._

_I kept in touch with her, provided for her financially; we actually remained friends, although we rarely saw each other; and she kept me informed about you._

_Recently, we met up again, and decided to give marriage another try. That was why we were coming to see you; we wanted you... But that's not important now._

_Do you want to meet me, Blair? If you don't, I'll understand. Just remember - I did love your mother, and I still do. I threw away the best thing that ever happened to me. And... although we've never met, you're my son and I love you._

_Jacob Blair_

Jim put the sheet of paper down on the coffee table. "I'm so sorry, Chief," he murmured.

Blair drew a long, shuddering breath. "He was right - there was no way to tell me all that gently... and I did need to know. But if they stayed in touch, if he was supporting her financially, why didn't she tell me - if not when I was young, at least when I went to Rainier?"

There was no real answer Jim could give. "She gave you his name. Jacob Blair - transposed to Blair Jacob - with her own surname."

"I always did wonder what made her call me 'Blair'. Though it is gender neutral, it seems to be more popular for girls. Sometimes I wondered if it was because she wanted a daughter, not a son... It never occurred to me that it might be my father's name." He was silent for a moment. "Naomi could be very divorced from reality at times. Calling me by a girl's name to fool people into thinking she had a daughter is so what she would have done while I was still a baby. Keeping my hair long back then was another way. I did have it short for a while, you know."

"I wondered, the first time I met her and she said to you 'Look at this hair' - as if it was something of a surprise."

"I hated it when I was a kid. Got it cut when I was fourteen. Naomi... wasn't happy, but what could she do? I let it grow again ten years later, but she hadn't visited me since just before that." He was silent for a moment. "She never seemed to tire of travelling. Sometimes I wondered where she got the money, because my grandparents didn't leave her much, but if he - " Blair nodded to the letter - "was providing for her financially... "

"Did she help you financially?"

"Yes, she gave me an allowance. It's enough that I've even been able to save a little. What'll happen now, though..."

"I suspect that he - " Jim also nodded to the letter - "was giving her enough to give you that allowance, and that he'll carry on giving it to you."

"Seems possible... I really should meet him, shouldn't I."

"It wouldn't do any harm. Reading between the lines... I'd say he's probably wanted to contact you for years, but allowed Naomi to tell him 'No' because he loved her enough to fall in with what she wanted."

"And because she'd agreed to re-marry him and they were coming to see me anyway, he felt he could make contact... that he - well, had her permission."

"As well as possibly being the only person who knew how to contact you to tell you about her accident." Jim carefully didn't say 'her death'.

"That's true." Blair gave a rueful half smile. "I've sometimes wondered if a time would come when I never heard from her again, because she'd died and nobody where she happened to be at the time knew she had any family. But why the week's delay before letting me know? Unless he was hurt too."

"That's always possible," Jim said.

"All right. I'll write back to him, tell him I'll be glad to see him... and we can take any relationship between us from there."

"I think it's the right decision," Jim said. "And having his name and address... I'll be able to run a quick check on him - "

"And make sure he's a respectable enough person for Major Crime's consultant to meet?" But Blair was sounding a little happier.

"Meanwhile," Jim said, "would you rather forget about going away this weekend?"

"Would you mind very much if we didn't?" Blair asked.

"I know you're not in the mood for it now, and I wouldn't enjoy it, knowing you had just dragged yourself along to keep me company," Jim said. "The camp site, the trails and the river will still be there two or three weeks from now when you're in a better frame of mind to enjoy them."

"Thanks," Blair whispered. "I'll... I'll just get this answered - " He picked up the letter. "I'm not feeling hungry. You just order in something for your dinner - even Wonderburger, if you want - and I'll pay, since it was my turn to cook."

"Pizza will do fine," Jim said, and reached for the phone. He called in the order, then focussed on the words Blair was just beginning to write.

_Dear... Dad._

_I never thought I'd ever write that word. First, thanks for letting me know about Mom. And I'm sorry, too, for your loss..._

They were so Blair; even in his own grief thinking about someone else's.


End file.
